Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-06-18
IN The North Room.
BY CLARA MERWIN.
| old bachelor,

BY CLARA MERWN.
am an old bachelor.
If there is human being whose nerves
are made of steel, am that individual.
have never once lost my presence of
mind.
don't believe in ghosts, of course.
I'm not sentimental man, and have
never been in love.
Once, when was young man. I thought
that was in love with pair Of brown eyes
and a head of golden hair, long, dark lashes.
and skin like peach bloom. l lost my
usual good sense for while and proposed
to Polly Bashfeld, and was accepted. But
soon grew tired of my pretty toy, and
began to see that "a young man married
would be young man married." the girls
had lost all interest in me, and the married
ladies took to snubbing me. had not half
the nice invitations used to have, and, be-
sides, old Mr.. Bashfeld failed, and Polly's
fifty thousand vanished into thin air. She
would have nothing on marriage instead of
being an heiress; and so one day told her
we had both made mistake, and she said
probably was the best judge, and gave
in it, and I had it set for q shirt-stud at
once.
And, of course, sent her back her let
tiers. and she returned mine; and after that
We never met again. got out of the affair
more easily than most fellows do, and I've
never got into such one again. Perhaps,
when I'm. old and begin to break down q
little, shall marry some nice young girl
and settle down comfortably. It's pretty
good thing to do then, but not before one
Is past fifty.
Well, as I said, saw no more of Polly,
and forget all about her in few years. I
stand before you practical man, untram-
meled by any sort Of superstition, with a
good income, good health, and enjoying my
lite; and in this condition walked in at
the door OF Mrs. Regan's COMPOUNDED little
old house at exactly haIf-pa ten on the
Oath day of August, 1886.
We had started for the Mountain House,
and Bradley, and his trap had broken
down, and here We were on rough road,
with our journey not half way over,
Catskill as far behind us as the Mountain
House was before us; both of us as hungry
as hunters; both of us dead tired.
"We can't 60 on" said Bradley.
"We can't go back, said I. Then over
some one cried, "Your wheel has come off,
han't it?" And on my answering that it
had, and that I should like to know what
we were going to do that night, the sun
bonnet replied, "Why, do tell, to be sure.
Well, now, and everybody is chock full of
summer boarders, and SO be 1. But
guess 1 can fgger it if do q little head
work. I'll put them jackson boys to sleep
with our Sam, and I'll make the help go
on to the settee, and one Of you shall have
the kitchen chamber and one the north
room if you want. And my old man, he's
wheelright by trade, and he'll jigger
your wheel for you in two shakes of
Sleeps tail"
We looked at each other. did not
know how long it took sheep to shake
its tail, nor whether bigger" was technical
or local. don't know yet: but smelt
coffee and ham and eggs somewhere, and
doubtless so did Bradley. we shall be
only too glad to accept your hospitality, "
said he.
@Dollar day." said she; "thafs cheap
enough"
$50 it is, said Bradley. aCome, Ham
ilton."
! came. What would I have done to O
waiter who presented me with such sup
per at the club? But starvation does not
discriminate. Pate heartily. And after
ward. being asked to choose between the
kitchen chamber and the north room, /
said the north room, by all means. / had
q vague idea that it would be farthest re-
moved from the rest Of the establishment.
1t was q queer-looking place, with a
chimney in the center, the roof running
from peak in the middle Of the floor on
either side. One square window and one
sloping one, and bags, hams, ropes of
onions, and suspended dresses adorned it
in every direction. The bed was apparent
~ stuffed with corn-cobs. The pillow was
Of hay, and the sheets smelled Of camphor,
and had kerosene lamp by way of il
Illumination. Remembering my spring mat
tress and silk quilts lined with down at
home, my velvet carpet, the pink and
white shade for my gas, I wondered how I
could endure it so calmly. But what
should have gained BY making fuss?
Nothing, surely. Never trouble yourseir
about the inevitable; simply shut your eyes
to it. ! shut mine. Having pulled the
kerosene lamp out, after q blue explosion
Of some kind, which made me wonder If I
were to be q subject Of q paragraph head
ed awful Accident In the next mornings
papers, adjusted myself as well as pos
sible between the softest com cobs.
When one sleeps one forgets ones bed
said /. Let me Sleep" And totally refus-
ing to hear the droning of hideous insect
with broken back, who could walk, fly,
climb, leap, wiggle, crawl-in short, who
possessed every means Of Iocomotion
known to animated nature-I went to
Sleep i awoke Just - the moon was ris-
ing about one o'clock. The light fell
through the one straight window Of my
room and made . white square on thu